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Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

With the exception of Bam Morris and Ralph Staten, the biggest turd we've had on this team was Chris McAlister....who was here during the entire time the Ray Lewis "leader" legend was being created.

Who can forget the time Chris was finally suspended by Billick out in San Diego because he blew off curfew to travel and party back in his neck of the woods on Southern Cali? That right there was worse than anything Jacoby or McKinnie has ever done....where was Ray then?

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Although Walsh's system of offense can compensate for lack of talent; however, defense is a different story. According to Walsh, talent on defense was essential and could not be compensated for. What did Walsh do in 1981? He acquired physical and talented players on defense.

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

Former Ravens defensive end Trevor Pryce weighed in on retired linebacker Ray Lewis' criticism of the defending Super Bowl champions' leadership, telling The Baltimore Sun there's a disconnect between reality and perception of how an NFL locker room actually operates.

Pryce said that for Lewis, in his current ESPN analyst job, to insinuate that incidents like kick returner Jacoby Jones being hit in the head with a champagne bottle on a party bus celebrating offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie's 34th birthday wouldn't happen under his watch is going too far. Especially considering that the Ravens dealt with much more serious off-the-field issues during the two-time NFL Defensive Player's 17-year tenure in Baltimore.

"Here's the thing about the Ray Lewis leadership thing, when you start telling the media that things would be fixed if you were there, that can be a little self-serving," said Pryce, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who now works for Fox Sports 1 on the "Crowd Goes Wild" show with Regis Philbin. "Once you read the narrative about yourself, that's the narrative you're going to stick with. God bless him, but they asked Ray that question knowing exactly what the answer will be. Me personally, Trevor Pryce, I've been to many a player function where things got a little bit out of hand, but nobody went running to the media. I've seen things happen at player functions that were crazy and I'll say, 'How could this have been avoided?' Well, the only way to avoid is to not have a party at all. It was a party, and it went wrong.

"That's not a question of leadership. That's what is making the current Ravens upset about it is because they're saying, 'We were going to have this party regardless if Ray was here or not.' That's the disconnect between what's real and what leadership is what a leadership would do. Bryant had a party, got a bus, went to D.C, which is a safe city for the most part. It's responsible of them to get a party bus and not drink and drive. How could the incident have been avoided? Don't get on the bus and have that party, but that's not realistic. These are grown men who are going to try to unwind and have a good time on their night off, but you try to do it responsibly. To me, this doesn't show any leadership issue. It's just one thing that happened and people found out about it, but it doesn't mean the Ravens are all of a sudden out of control with Ray Lewis gone. Know what I'm saying?"

Pryce said he believes that there are several strong leaders on the Ravens' roster as well as the top of the organizational leadership structure with general manager Ozzie Newsome and coach John Harbaugh.

"There's plenty of leadership there," said Pryce, who retired following the 2010 season after recording 91 career sacks in 14 NFL seasons, including stints with the Denver Broncos, Ravens and New York Jets. "These are grown men with families. Haloti Ngata has been there for years, Terrell Suggs has been there for years.

"The media is taking this leadership thing a little too seriously. If you need to be led, you shouldn't be playing pro football. I have always thought, you need to lead yourself. Don't expect Ray Lewis or Terrell Suggs to lead you and tell you what to do. You need to lead yourself."

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

With the exception of Bam Morris and Ralph Staten, the biggest turd we've had on this team was Chris McAlister....who was here during the entire time the Ray Lewis "leader" legend was being created.

Who can forget the time Chris was finally suspended by Billick out in San Diego because he blew off curfew to travel and party back in his neck of the woods on Southern Cali? That right there was worse than anything Jacoby or McKinnie has ever done....where was Ray then?

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...or when Suggs was photographed in a parking lot fight in AZ?

...or when Suggs allegedly dumped bleach all over his girlfriend/fiance?

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

Who can forget the time Chris was finally suspended by Billick out in San Diego because he blew off curfew to travel and party back in his neck of the woods on Southern Cali? That right there was worse than anything Jacoby or McKinnie has ever done....where was Ray then?

I wasn't actually there of course, so i can't say for sure if Ray or anybody else really made a concerted effort to talk to CMAC and help him out, but my understanding is that a number of players and coaches (to include Ray) did. I remember hearing Ray and others saying that Chris was a "bit different" and indicating that he was somewhat of a loner. I got the impression that the players did in fact try to connect with him, and if all these folks (including Ray) had not tried to help him, he would have been alot worse than he was.

If you break the rules you can't make the rules.
- Remove Coach Tomlin from the NFL Competition committee.

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

What is it with former players when they become part of the "media"? Do they think that the only way they will come across as being credible is if they dump on their former teammates? I hope Ray Lewis doesn't turn into a complete douche like Tiki Barber did when retired from football and joined the media. Ray Lewis was a great player, but enough already.

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

Originally Posted by Dirt1

What is it with former players when they become part of the "media"? Do they think that the only way they will come across as being credible is if they dump on their former teammates? I hope Ray Lewis doesn't turn into a complete douche like Tiki Barber did when retired from football and joined the media. Ray Lewis was a great player, but enough already.

Makes me respect Jerome Bettis a little bit for not doing it years ago on NBC.

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. - Benjamin Franklin

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

Originally Posted by Dirt1

What is it with former players when they become part of the "media"? Do they think that the only way they will come across as being credible is if they dump on their former teammates? I hope Ray Lewis doesn't turn into a complete douche like Tiki Barber did when retired from football and joined the media. Ray Lewis was a great player, but enough already.

They are often encouraged to say controversial things about their former team by the producers. TV people think that will get them publicity and viewers. Guys just starting out in the media business don't know any better and go along with it.

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

Originally Posted by Real Fan Dan

I wasn't actually there of course, so i can't say for sure if Ray or anybody else really made a concerted effort to talk to CMAC and help him out, but my understanding is that a number of players and coaches (to include Ray) did. I remember hearing Ray and others saying that Chris was a "bit different" and indicating that he was somewhat of a loner. I got the impression that the players did in fact try to connect with him, and if all these folks (including Ray) had not tried to help him, he would have been alot worse than he was.

Bisciotti even talked to McAlister at some point....there is a lengthy piece about in the "Next Man Up" book by John Feinstein.

Re: Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

In the spring, the question was "how are the Ravens going to replace all of the talent and leadership that they've lost"? To me this is just the media trying to keep the story line alive; it's clear the Ravens have replaced the talent, so the media has to drill down on the leadership angle. This too shall pass...

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.There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarrely inexplicable…

There is another theory which states that this - has - already - happened…